To have transparency in the administration and Finances of the Educational Institutions a seminar on the above mentioned topic was organised by Liberal Youth Forum – Delhi based organization and Youth Development Foundation – Bhubanewar at Centre for Social and Scientific Research, Bhubaneswar (CSSR).

Students were trained to file an RTI application with special regard to bring in reform in the Higher Education System. Noted RTI activist Advocate Mr Chitta Behra conducted this session. He also highlighted the problems with the Orissa RTI rules set by the Government where no RTI can be filed without the prescribed form available in the government departments, identity card of the applicant and Orissa Treasury Challan –only available in subdivisional towns and cities of Orisaa. Thus making it next to impossible for rural population and people outside Orissa to avail this Right. Worth mentioning is the fact that these rules are in clear conflict with the Central RTI act , 2005 and no other state apart from Orissa has such anti people rules. Participants are writing to the Chief Minister of Orissa to change these anti- citizens’ provisions of the Orissa RTI rules.

It has been termed as Draconian and anti citizen by a participant Ms Sasmita Swain also a student of the CSSR.

Mr Govinda , Secretary , Youth Development Foundation discussed about the problems presented by the students of Utkal University of culture , mainly the delay in the examination and publication of results where it takes three to three and half years to complete a Master Degree course of 2 years. It is nothing but a crime of playing with the career and life of thousands of students every year. TO great dismay no voice has been raised against this heinous malfunctioning of the university .

Liberal Youth Form and Youth Development Foundation have resolved to work on these campus issues and intensify their efforts towards student friendly Universities in Bhubaneswar and Orissa.

This seminar is the first step towards awaring and sensitizing the students regarding their own issue regarding which they almost have become voice less. Similar programmes will be conducted throughout different colleges and universities of Orissa. Youth leaders from different colleges will be brought together on one platform and they would be trained to start working about their issues with all possible support of these two organizations.

National Programs Coordinator, Mr Rajan Singh addressed the participants and shard how students in different parts of the with support of Liberal Youth Forum are taking initiatives to bring about certain changes in the education system and bearing the responsibility as an active citizen.

Mr Md Imran and Avinash from Nasha Mukti Yuva Sankalp while interacting with the participants shared his experience of campaign against drug abuse and the use of RTI in the campaign .

More than 50 students of Masters in Social Work and Master in Social Sciences participated in the event. Mr Avijit, Ms Lisa and Ms Manaswini from YDF, Ms Sasmita and Ms Swagatika from CSSR along with other students coordinated the event.

The unprecedented flood situation in the Gop block of Puri District paralyzed the normal life of the people in different Panchayats. No one would have imagined that the history would repeat again. The late night of 10th Sept’2011 witnessed complete deluge in Gop Block and 22of its Gream Panchayats.

Many villages are marooned in flood water without food and proper shelter. Some are taking shelters on the safer places some how gets the relief provided by Govt. and private agencies. But still the people are staying at rooftop of others CC building are deprived of such facilities. Miserable is the condition of the animals.

Young India has been working in Puri district made an attempt to assess the conditions of the marooned people and the need of immediate relief. We have done preliminary assessment in worst affected Gop, Payara,Banakhandi,Mahalpada,Simili,Sorava & Andhara Icchapur GP of Gop Block

Present condition of people:

People are still marooned in flood water.

Total disruption of communication

People are taking shelters on roof of the CC house, uplands and road sides.

There is acute scarcity of safe drinking water.

The unhygienic environment prevails very much which might cause diseases.

Children are out of school as most of the schools are in use of homeless families.

School children have lost all their books & educational kits.

Immediate Relief Need

Now Govt & other Non Govt Agencies are working in these areas for relief & other needs of flood victims.

But nobody is thinking for the education of children. Young India has assigned 20 volunteers to work with children who are out of school. Temporary teaching centres are working by these volunteers in different flood affected villages. But the volunteers are facing problem as all of the children have lost their books & educational kits.

Presently we required followings to continue these Community Based Education Centres.

Young India an organized body of some National Youth Awardee, Indira Gandhi NSS Awardee & Ex- NSS volunteers committed to the cause of social transformation & development was established in 1989 in the village Anasara near Konark GOP Block in Puri district of Orissa. This group of Youth activists, trained in the field of social service pledge to take up the cause of social change, develop, maintain and popularize the need of voluntary action for community development, promoting national Integration and understanding among youth and people in general, by taking its major areas of the organization’s operation, such as feasible action programme, research, training apart from documentation, publication, counseling services.

Dear Friends,
I would like to draw your attention to the havoc created by the unprecedented disastrous flood in Odisha covering 19 districts and has endangered lives of lakhs of people. The impact was so large scale, any government support will not suffice given the volume of devastation.
Agami Odisha in collaboration with many civil society organisations has started the flood relief response programme and have formed a control room to support flood response programme in various areas. We have identified the most 5 vulnerable areas and have established a base camp to coordinate the response programme.
Relief phase is slowly getting over and a time has come to extend our solidarity in rehabilitation measures in these communities. There are instances of diarrhoea outbreak, health problems of aged and children and above all reconstructing their homes, restoring their normal livelihood and most importantly, to be with them as an institution to overcome their difficulties.
We are constantly mobilising materials in kind and have sent truck loads of relief materials like Chuda, puffed rice, biscuit, medicine and all to 5 pockets (as mentioned in the document). There is a great demand to continue our efforts for the coming 6 months to one year to help them more concretely in the rehabilitation process.

Please write to us at odishaflood@gmail.com or give us a call at Sudarsan Das, HDF (94370 20225) or Gobinda Ballava Dalai, YDF (94379 36315 ) to find out the possibility to extend your help. We will suitably acknowledge your support.
Looking forward to your immediate response and support.